Coming Up in Maryland Politics

Coming up this week in Maryland politics:

STATE GOVERNMENT

* Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) will swear in Joseph F. Murphy, Jr. to the Maryland Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, at 1 p.m. today. Murphy, 63, of Baltimore, previously served as chief judge of the Court of Special Appeals, Maryland's lower appeals court. He fills the vacancy left by Alan M. Wilner, who in January reached the mandatory retirement age of 70. The ceremony will take place at the House Chambers in the State House at Annapolis.

* Also today, Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown (D) is expected to present a report on BRAC (Base Re-alignment and Closure) to O'Malley at 10 a.m. in the Governor's Reception Room at the State House in Annapolis. Brown heads the BRAC subcabinet that has had meetings this fall throughout the state to compile recommendations. Under the federal BRAC process, Fort Meade is expected to gain 5,700 jobs, bringing additional traffic and residents to Anne Arundel and Howard counties. The National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda will add up to 2,500 jobs with the closing of Walter Reed Army Medical Center in the District. Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George's County should gain about 400 jobs. The largest growth is expected at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Harford County, where 9,000 new jobs are projected.